There are many factors to consider when selecting which globe to purchase and suit your application. First things first, always choose LED, you will save on up to 90% on electricity and will last typically 50 times longer than halogen. LEDs also instantly start, have a wider range of colour temperatures, and are much more environmentally friendly.
Are there any downsides to LEDs? Well, like anything there are different quality LED’s and they have a very wide range, so in this blog we will go over on the points to look for when buying quality over cheap and nasty which will cost you more in the end.

Brand

Always stick to well-known brands that have been around for 10 years plus, they are the ones who have built the reputation on quality and if they hadn't they wouldn't still be around. The Lighting Outlet's favourite brands for LED bulbs are Domus Lighting, Havit Lighting, CLA Lighting, Atom Lighting, Lusion, Azoogi, or Crompton Lighting.

Quality is key, and you will always find a cheaper globe but chances are it will produce poor light and fail within 12 months, so do yourself a favour - avoiding headaches and purchasing quality over cheap and nasty. 

LED Colour Temperature

This ultimately comes down personal preference. Some people love the traditional warm white whereas some people will think it’s boring. Some applications are better suited for each colour, however.

Relaxing mood areas e.g. bedroom, lounge room or a garden will be suited to a warm white around 3,000K. The 3,000K light will be more of dull yellowish light but I always say less light is better for mood lighting, for example, think about how you have seen candles been used to create mood.

General areas which could be both relaxing but also working areas would suit a 4,000K cool white which you can’t really go wrong with, as it has the best of both worlds. A warmish tinge with a practical whitish colour to see things a bit brighter and clearer. Again, if you are unsure which LED globe temperature to pick, go with a 4,000k it will suit almost every application.

Work areas or ultra modern areas are best with a 5000K+ daylight colour which will give off almost a blue light and is super practical for offices, warehouse, hospitals etc. 5000K can be very harsh when looked at directly and can cause eye strains but does make everything look more fresh and vibrant and for some people this is ideal in all applications.

Below is a guide for you to get a rough idea.

Dimmable

The application you are using the LED globe on will decide if you need dimmable. The price can sometimes double and it also even more important to buy quality dimmable LED globes because cheaper ones will state they dim but will not go down very far and a lot of the times flicker. 

Lumens

This is the true indication on how bright the globe is. Most people still look to the wattage, which is fine for older incandescent and fluorescent products, but for LED this will not help choosing the right brightness. You must look to the lumens. If you have the light on a dimmer, go overkill with the lumens this way you can’t lose. For garden LED lighting less light is better for creating ambience and for task lighting -brighter is better for working environments.

Below is a chart to help you choose the right LED lumen output

CRI

The colour rendering index means how clear objects that lit by the light source are, the higher the CRI the more vibrant and true colours will portray. Most globes will be around a LED CRI of 80> which is fine but if you are after a super high quality LED light. Choosing a 5000K + daylight colour will give you the most accurate colours.

Beam Angle

Each application will determine which beam angle to select. If you are running globes to light up a wide area such as an oyster light, choose a globe with 180+ degree beam angle - the wider the better, this will eliminate shadowing and dark spots in the corners of the room. If you are running a track light which is lighting up a piece of artwork, then you want a more concentrated beam of around 15 - 20 degrees. Always think about the application in your head and work out just how wide you need the light. Some applications you don’t want to flood the area with wasted light but some you may.

Heat Sink

LED’s are fully electronic and the manufacturers who make LED products can turn the wattage right up to get maximum possible brightness but doing this will burn the LED chips out which is why LED products have heat sinks.

Most people think LED products don’t get hot, this is not true - they do, but the heat sinks draw all the heat out. Not all heat sinks are equal though! Some products will have much better heat sinks that prolong the life of the LED. Some manufacturers will be irresponsible but offering crazy wattage and lumen outputs, causing them to get too hot even with a heat sink. We advise against these kinds of lights. Go instead with a smart manufacturer who will turn the wattage down to a level that the heat sink can work effectively and get the maximum life out of the LED.

There are different heat sinks to look for such as a metal, ceramic and plastic heat sinks. Plastic heat sinks by far have the highest LED lighting returns. This is because the LED is tuned right down then up but without a doubt since manufacturers have started doing this we are getting many many more returns.

So to finish off, the heat sink is the most important factor, if you want a quality LED product that will last look to the back of the LED for a large metal or ceramic heat sink. These will cost you more but that’s because they cost more to make - they will save you in the long run!

Mood

If you are chasing mood lighting then we strongly recommend going with the carbon filament globes as they have a temperature of around 2,000 kelvins. This is very similar to a candlelight colour - the ambiance they create is magic. 

Click here to view our range of carbon filament globes

FAQ On Globes

How long do LED Globes last?

LED globes will last from 25,000 hours upto 100,000 hours. The majority are rated at 50,000 hours which is 25 times longer than halogen globes and 10 longer the Fluorescent. When used for around 8 hours a day you should see around 20 years lifespan. 

What is the difference between LED and standard light globes?

LED globes save 80% of energy, will last 25 times longer and operate at 70% cooler temperature to incandescent.  LED globes are fully electronic which makes them much more versatile and gived the ability to change the colour tempreture much easier. 

How many lumens is a 100 watt bulb?

A 100w bulb is around 1600 lumens. For the equivalent for LED a 20w will match the 1600 lumens. 

Can LED lights be left on 24/7?

Yes, LED's run a very low tempreture and will actually last longer when turned off and on less a possible. Most LED's are rated to last 50,000 hours so if on for 24/7 you would be looking at around 6 years of continual running. Ensure you buy high qaulity brands that have proven track records.